Coin-controlled vending machine



Oct. 9, 1928.

H. K. LORENTZEN COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 9, 1928.

H. K.L'ORENTZEN com CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 'T' -1 g- 51 5% /6,47

Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,978

H. K. LORENTZEN COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 6/- %4A 1/ Qwweuto? Oct. 9, 1928.

H. K. LORENTZEN COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 J/ z vwentoz 929% @btqww%% Oct. 9, 1928.

Filed July 25, 1923- Oct. 9, 1928.

Filed July '25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS I. LORENTZEN -OF NEW YORK N. Y.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed July 25,

.This invention relates to an improved and operate the machine following the insertion of a coin of the proper denomination in the coin receiving slot. v 1

The invention includes the provision of an indicator including a rotatable pointer capable of being actuated by a knob to indicate which one of a series of varieties of the material being vended is desired. The

prised in the vending device. The rotation of the push button shaft angularly adjusts an arm carried by the shaft in such relation to one of a series of release gate actuating rods that the subsequent operation of the push rod through the turning of a knob forming part of the coin receiving mechanism, actuates the releasing device of the particular storage chamber pointed out. by the indicator.

The invention also includes a special construction of article releasing gate which in-' cludes a pair of arcuate jaw-like members whose opposite edges are movable-to and from each other to permit an article to enter the space enclosed by the arcuate members and then to drop therefrom upon its final release.

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings in which a preferred form of the invention has been selected for illustration,

Figure 1 is a view in transverse vertical section of a vending device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a detail of article releasing mechanism and the operating means therefor;

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation o themechanism shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is 'a view in vertical sectionvof the mechanism shown in Figure 3.

1923. Serial No. 653,853.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 taken at another point..

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a detail.

Figure 7 is a view in rear elevation of the 001R receiving mechanism contained in the device shown in Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a view in end elevation of the releasing mechanism shown in Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a view in disassembled relation of the casing and a rear cover plate therefor.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the relation of parts that prevent operation of the dispensing means when the articles to be dispensed are exhausted.

Figure 11 is an isometric view of a modified form of dispensing device embodying the invention.

Figure 12 is a view in rear elevation of the device with the rear cover plate removed.-

' Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 of a cover plate for the device shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14, is a view of the internal construction of coin directing mechanism formin part of the device. I

F gure 15 is a view similar to Fi ure 14. but taken from the reverse side an showing parts operated by a coin.

Figure 16is a detail view on an enlarged scale of parts of the construction shown in Fi ure 15.

igure 17 is a view in vertical section taken at right angles to the views shown in Figures Hand 15. I

' Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 15 but taken from a oint farther to the left as seen in Figure 1 V Figure 19 is a detail of gate operating means.

Referring to the drawings for a more arcuate jaws 14 adapted to be rotated about a common center to bring either their upper or their lower edges into separated or'adjacent relation to perform an article-releasing operation.

I by in turn actuate one of the push rods 17,

lease mechanism actuatin a bell-crank lever 18 is pivoted at a point 19 and is provided with an arm 20 extending in operative engagement with'a collar 21 fixed on the shaft 16. It will be seen that.

withthis construction a movement to the right in Figure 3 of the drawing of the arm 22 of the bell-crank lever 18 will have the effect of moving the arm 20 in a direction to cause'the arm 15 on the shaft 16 to engage and operate oneor other of the repush rods. 17. At 23 is shown a suita le coin receiving device which-includes a disk 24 having a cut-out segment 25 adapted toreceive a coin such as 26 which may be inserted in the coin receivin devi'ce throu h a suitable slot 27. The dis 24 is carrie on a common shaft with a turn knob 28 which can be grasped a user and turned in aclockwise direction to carry the coin 26 past a'suitable awl and the member 29 which prevents the return 0 the. coin once it has passed that point. The following movement ofthe coin. causes it to engage an arm 30 pivoted at a point 30' and to swin this arm to the left as viewed in Figure of the drawing. The arm 30 thereupon engages the arm 22 already referred to as forming part of the bell-crank 18 and produces the movement of one of the push rods 17 that is required to operate one or other of the releasing devices 13 as has already been ointed out.

The coin olding pawl 29 which has been referred to forms part of an arm 31 which is engaged at its opposite end by a laterally extending sprin arm 32 carried by a lever 33 which is hel in a coin engaging position by the spring 34. The lever 33 is provided at 35 with a coin engaging .cam portion which lifts the lever 33 and thereby swings the pawl 29 into position to preventa washer from operating the machine. By reversing I the knob the washer is caused to reissue through .the slot 72. When the coin has traveled far enough to pass the cam portion 35 of the lever 33 the cam is pushed into position back of the coin by the spring 34 pawl 29 is thereupon released as will be clear. I

In order to determine which one of the release device actuating rods 17 isto be 4 refer to the operated, a knob' 36 is provided accessible" pointer 43 is adapted to be moved over a' des gnations thereon which fierent article storage ways 12 and thereby enable the operator to select which one of the storage ways he desires to receive an article from. It will be seen that the rotation of the knob 36 to bring the pointer 43 to .desired position at the same time rotates the arm 15 into operating posie scale havingi i tion with a corresponding release device.

actuating rod 17. In order to revent the actuation of the device when t e arm 15 stops at a position intermediate the actuatingrods 17 a lug or pin 45 carried by. the arm 15 is caused to engage the face of .a plate 46 through which the rods 17 slide, the pin 45 entering within openings within the plate when the arm is in coincidence with one f the actuating rods 17 and thereby permitt' g inward movement of'the arm 15 as will seen. In order to return the arm 15 to its outer position following the operation of one of 'the releasing devices, aspring 47 is rovi'ded which surrounds the rearmost en of the shaft 16 and en a es a. collar 48 on the shaft 16 and a fixefp ate'49 at the rear of the device- 1 Each one of the actuating rods 17 has a pivoted connection as at 50 with an actuating member-51 pivoted at 52 and carried by the forward arcuate member 14 forming one of the jaws of the corresponding releasing device or gate. The actuating member 51 has a prolongation 53 which engages the forward and lower edge of an actuating device 54 carried by the other 'arcuate gate member of the. pair. It willbe seen that.

vent an article 56 received between the aws from being released from that position in which it is held by the jaws until an inward movement of the corresponding actuating rod 17 has taken place. I

Upon the inward or rearward movement of the actuating rod 17 the actuating member 51 is swun about the pivot 52 in a counterclockwise irection. At the same time a projection 57 carried by the member 51 engages the upper edge of the extremity 55 of the member 54 and swings the member 54 ina clockwise direction. It will be seen that a corresponding movement is given to the arcuate gate members 14, that is, the upper edges of the gate members are brought into relatively close adjacency such that an article cannot pass between their edges, while at the same time the lower edges of the arcuate members are spread apart allowing the article 56 that had been contained between the members to fall out or be released. It will be seen that the immediately following forward movement of the actuating rod 17 un-' der the action of the spring 47 again closes the lower edges of the arcuate members 14 and opens the upper edges thereby permitting the next article to fall into position between the gate members. I

In order to prevent the actuation of the r gate member when the last article has been exhausted from its storage way, a rectangular block 60 is placed in each storage way immediately above the uppermost article therein so that when the last article has been discharged from the way the block 60 will descend into position between the gate members 14 and prevent the bringing together of the upper edges of the gate members thereby preventing the inward movement of the corresponding actuating rod 17 as well as preventing the operation of the coin receiving device or trap door. The result is that the device not having been operated, the coin will fall forward of the trap door and be returned to the would-be purchaser or operator on the'article delivery shelf 67.

In order to return the coin to the operator in the event that the knob 28 has been turned so far as to prevent its reverse rotation, a coin deflecting plate 61 is pivoted at 62 and connected through a link 63 with an arm 64 carried by the shaft 16. By this arrangement the inward or rearward movement of the shaft 16 produces a correspondingpull on the link 63 and swings the plate 61 from the position shown in Figure 6 of the drawing to a position in which the coin discharged upon the upper part of the plate will be deflected to. the left to an extent sufiicient to cause the coin to enter a coin box 65 suitably placed to receive the same. In the event that the link 63 has not been actuated the coin will fall forwardly of the plate or trap door '61 and descend through an opening 66 to the delivery shelf 67 at the lowermost and forward part of the casing which houses the device. The delivery shelf 67 also serves to receive the articles which, for the purpose of the invention, are cylindrical members and fall from the gate members 13 to the slopin surface 68 and through the passage 69 to t e sloping base 70 of the casing; thence they roll to the delivery shelf 67 as will be seen. I

Referring to'Figure 1 and Figure 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that the releasing devices 13 are arranged in both a horizontally and a vertically stepped arrangement to facilitate the operation of the various devices through the grouped actuating rods 17. To assist in the closing of the gate members following a releasingoperation, spring members 7 2 are provided as is shown in Figure 8 of the drawin which are attached to arms 73 fixed to the s afts of the forward gate member in each releasing device. It will be seen that the pull of the spring 72 rotates the gate members 14 to their receiving position,

In order to prevent breakage of the apparatus when a storage way has been emptied and the gate thereof blocked against operation the collar member 21 may slide on the shaft 16 against the yielding pressure of the relatively stiff spring 74 thereb permitting the shaft 16 to remain unmoved? In the form of the invention shown in Figures 11 to 19 inclusive a single storage way 70 is provided and the gateway thereof is directly operated by the manipulation of a knob 71 following the insertion of a coin in the slot 72. The coin operated mechanism in this form of the invention includes parts similar to those already described.

A disk 73 carried by the shaft of the knob 71 has a cut-out sector ada ted to receive a coin and to press the edge 0 the coin against the arm 74 in the rotation of the disk. The arm 74 is engaged by the hooked end of the short arm of a bell crank lever 75 whose longer arm extends through a slot in a vertically movable link member 76 connected to an arm 77 carried by one of the gate members. It will be seen that movement'of the arm 74 to the right as viewed in Figure 15 will lift the long arm of the lever 75 and rock the arm 77 of the gate as seen in Figure 19. The arm is connected through a pin and slot device 78 with an arm 79 attached to the other gate member so that the gate members are operated in unison as will be clear.

A link member 80 connects the gate operating arm 79 to av crank arm 81 adapted to engage a lug 82 or a coin deflecting member 83 so that the upper part of the deflecting member can be swung to the right to rest in the depression 84 in Figure 17 of the drawings. In this position of the deflecting member a coin dropping from the notch in the disk 73 engages the deflecting member and is diverted into the coin box 85. In the event that a coin is rotated with the disk Without accompanying operation of the gate, which has been blocked following the delivery of the last article, the deflecting memher is not swung to the right and the coin drops through the casing into the delivery tra 67.

Izi Figure 14 of the drawings is shown an arm .86 pivoted at 87 and adapted to be lifted by a cam member 88 on the knob shaft against the pull of a spring 89. A second arm 90 pivoted at 92 is connected to the arm 86 through the coil sprin 91. The arm 90 is caused to swing to the eft when the arm 86 is lifted to overlap the deflecting member or coin trap door 83 and hold it in deflectin position during-the rotation of the knob an after the gate members have moved to closed position. It will be seen that the engagement of the lug 82 with the crank arm 81 forms a one-way operating connection that provides for this function. In the event that, for any reason he arm 90 engages the ed e of the plate 83 t e spring 89 will yield an prevent breakage of the parts.

A further safeguard against breakage is provided in the operating engagement be-- tween the bell crank 75 and the link 76. This consists of a vertical slot in the link 76' in which the arm 75 may rise against the tension of the s ring 91 when the gate members are blocke What I claim is 1. In an article dispensing device, a plurality of verticallyextendin article storage spaces, an article support or each of said article storage spaces normally supporting the articles therein and movable to'constitute a releasing device at the lowermost extremity of each storage space for releasing one article therefrom at a time,- a push rod actuating member for each device, the ends of the push rods remote from the devices being arranged in an arcuate disposition, and a master push rod having an arm angularly adjustable for cooperative relation with any of said push rods for actuation of the corresponding releasing device.

2. In an article dispensing device, a plurality of vertically extending article storage ways, an article support for each of said article storage spaces normally supporting the articles therein and movable to constitute a releasing device at the lowermost extremity of each storage space for. releasin one article therefrom at a time, a push r05 actuating member for each device, the ends of the push rods remote from the devicesbeing arranged in an arcuate disposition, a master push rod having an arm angularly adjustable for cooperative relation with any of said push rods for actuation of the corresponding releasing device, and means for rotating the master push rod to select the release actuating member to be operated.

3. In an article dispensing device, a plu rality of vertically extending article storage wa s, an article support for each of said article storage spaces normally supporting the articles therein and movable to constitute a releasing device at the lowermost extremity of each storage way for releasing one ar ticle therefrom at a time, a push rod actuating member for each device the ends of the push rods remote from the evices beingarpush rod having an arm angularly adjustable for cooperative relation with any of said push rods for actuation of the corresponding releasing device, a rotatable pointer movable over a scale having designations representing the different storage ways,\and a sprocket and chain connection between the indicator and the master push rod Yor. adjustin the arm to correspond to the position '0 the indicator. 7

4. In an article dispensingl' device, a plurality of vertically exten ing article storage ways, an article'support -for each of said article stora e spaces normally supporting the articles t erein and movable to constitute a releasing device at the lowermost extremity of each storage way for releasin one article therefrom at a time, a push r05 ranged in an arcuate disposition, a master actuating member'for each device, the ends of the push rods remote from the devices being arranged in an arcuate disposition, a 1

master push rod having an arm angularly adjustable for cooperative relation with any of said push rods for actuation of the corresponding releasingdevice, means for rotating the master pus rod to, thereby adjust the position of the arm to operate the desired releasing device, and means for actuating the master push rod to operate the releasing 7 pointer movable over a scale having designations representing the diiferent storage ways, a sprocket and chain connection betweenthe indicator and the master push rodfor adjusting the arm to correspond to push rods for actuation of the corresponding releasing device, a rotatable the position of the indicator, and means for actuating the master push rod to operate the releasing device.

6. In an article dispensing device, an I article releasing member includin a pair of are shaped gate members osci latable in opposite directions about a common axis-to move their opposite edges toward or from bers to separate their edges at one side of the axis serving to provide an opening through which an article can pass into the space be tween the members, and the movement of the gate members to provide an opening at the other side of the axis serving to release the contained article while preventing movement of the next adjacent article.

7. In a dispensing device for cylindrical articles, a releasing member including a air of elongated arc-shaped gate mem ers oscillatable in opposite directions about a common horizontal axis to move their opposite edges toward or from each other, the movement of the gate members to separate their edges above the axis serving to provide an opening through which an article can pass into the space between the members, the movement of the gate members to provide an opening at the lower side of the axis serving to release the contained article while preventing descent of the following article, actuating members at the end of said gate members for operating one of the gate mem-,

into the the movement. of the adapted to be ture.

bers wheri the other actuating member is operated, and means for operating one of said gate actuating members.

8.Y In a dispensing-device for cylindrical articles, a releasing member including a pair of elongated arc-sha ed gate members oscillatable in opposite lrctions about a common horizontal axis to move their opposite edges toward or from each other, the movement of the gate members to separate their edges above the axis serving to provide an opening through which an article can pass space between the members, gate members to provide an. opening at t e lower side of the axis serving to release theYbfitainQd "article while preventing descent of the next adjacent article 7 and a' follower member placed on top of .the'tieraofl articles and toenter the gate and prevent the operation of same when the last articlehas been released.

In testimony whereof HANS K. LoRENTzEfi.

I aflix my signa- 

